The Lambertville record., 1887-01-05
INTERESTING STORY.
WINNING A PRIZE.

1t was sultsy afternoon in August, and
Mrs. Chatter was picking up y Goldfish fol
breakfast, or rather, part of Goldfish
Whole coddshes seldom make their ap,
pearance in Mrs. Chattet's domicile. Bul
her daughter Almira was waitress and
general shelp at the Seaside Hotel and
fell heir 10 great many odds and ends OF
the culinary kind.
4" We amt able to pay overnight wages, .
said Mrs. Brown, the landlords wife. " but
there's lots O. perquisites.
And the codfish's tail was part of the :. per
quisites brought home the night before in
Almira's basket, with half squash pie.
some Graham gems, and wedge of plum
pudding left over from dessert.
1--WE never have to spend much money in
provisions, SO long as Almiry waits at the
hotel Mrs. Chatter was wont triumphantly
to observe. Which was perhaps desirable
contamination, as the Chatter family were
wretchedly poor, although once they had
owned fine farm, including the point of
land on which the Seaside Hotel was built.
'sI'm afeared it's pretty dry" said Mrs.
Chatter, inspecting the Goldfish with her
heed first on one side and then on the
other. "Ef had little cream to cook il
in 1t would make all the difference in the
world. b. I hain't, and I amt likely to
have, and so there's an end of the thing. l
wonder now-why, II there amt Almiry.
Why, child, you never mean to say that
your folks is through dinner"
Almira Chatter nodded. She was
bright-eyed, high-complexioned girl, with
luxuriant brown hair, which she wore, in
defiance Of the prevailing fashion of the
Gay, brushed plainly away from her fair,
low forehead, and hes lilac calico frook be-
came her as perfectly as II city dress
maker had fashioned Its folds and biases.
@ made haste with the dishes, mother, y
said she, and got I.anretta Jones 10 set
my tea-tables Cor me, because I wanted TO
speak to you. Do you think, mother" she
rdded, finging her straw hat on the table
and seating herself on one OF the clumsy
wooden chairs which stood stiffiy against
the wall. that you could take boarder ?"
Me-" calculated Mrs. Chatter, letting
the Goldfish fall to tie table, and staring
until her spectacle glasses seemed hardly
enough to accommtsiate her eyes. ;. A
boarder! ~
q He's only woiking-man, explained
Almira, eoloring little under her mothers
amazed gage. z He wouldnf be much
trouble to you, and I'd help you all could
ct odd times. There's the little bedroom
over the front hall would be plenty large
enough--and he amt a bit particular about
what he eats !"
La!" uttered Mrs. Chatter.
=" It's one Of our boarders, y said Almira.
The pleasantest, incest spoken man you
ever saw--and there wasn't bit of trouble
until Mrs. Ponsonby Hunt happened to see
him with pick-ax, digging around the
foundation Of The Lighthouse Tower. And
says she, i see Il all now, says she, he's
the boss-masou CT the gang that's coming
TO pull down the Tower, and put up that
new house for the rich people who'ye
bought the point And says she, I amt
going to sit down 10 table with no workin'-
man no matter how we'll he sa.resses, or how
plausible he is Mr.. Ponsonby Hunt is
cashier In a bank, ssays she, and I've my
dignity to maintain. And either that man
goes, or me and my nine children and two
nurses and Freuch maid pack up, says
Mrs. Ponsonby Hunt = = m
sDear me-" said Mrs. Chatter, " she
must be very genteel:"
Too gsnteeL by half," said Almira,
with q toss of her head. q anyhow she's
made such fuss about it that Mr.. Cresson
has got to go. Although Mrs Brown hasn't
a word Of fault to Gnd, and he pays
his way as regular as Saturday night
comes around, and has ona Of the best
rooms too. But Mrs. Ponsonby Hunt says
that don't prove anything these common
folks that get good days wages, will pay
any money TO crowd themselves up among
the upper ten And she as good as said
she was afraid her Berenice would get in
terested in Mr.. Cresson if he stayed too
long, because Berenice was young and
giddy, and he did talk SO pleasant and gem
teel about his travels in Egypt, and such
things. And" added Aimira, with her
shining brown eyes very wide open, Mrs.
Ponsonby Hunt says she almost knows that
he was one of the masons sent to Alexandria
to find ont about she removal Of the 0belisk,
when it.was brought here. sOtherxise, how
would he get to Egypt r she says"
DO tell :" cried Mrs Chatter
s.Anyhow, Mrs. Brown has been obliged
to tell him she wants her room," went on
Almira. And the Smiths, down at the
oakdals iBoarding-houss won't take him,
because they say they'd loae all their board
ers once il Was found ont they took me-
chanies, And ! fen SO sorry for him,
mother, he looked 50 bewildered and lone
some, and 50 told him he might come
here for four dollars week. So let's 60
right upstairs, moslssi. &ddsa brsathless
Almira, and sss Il We can't change the